Rear main seal
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Rear main seal
I just noticed the other day that I am leaking oil just behind the oil pan. The oil appears to be at the back of the engine just in front of the transmission.
Does this sound like bad rear seal or an oil pan leak?
If it is the rear mail seal, any idea how much is it going to run to repair it?
It is a 1996 Bronco with the 302 in it and it has 103,000 miles on it.
Thanks for the help guys,
Jim
Does this sound like bad rear seal or an oil pan leak?
If it is the rear mail seal, any idea how much is it going to run to repair it?
It is a 1996 Bronco with the 302 in it and it has 103,000 miles on it.
Thanks for the help guys,
Jim
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,388
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From: SE Texas
More than likely it's the oil pan gasket. First, check if any pan bolts are loose, and clean up the area to see where fresh oil is coming from. You can also remove the backing plate and check the rear seal. If that's leaking, you either have to pull the engine or drop the transmission. Close to $500 parts and labor around here.
Freshman User
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
From: Cincinnati USA
I am getting ready to do mine. The oil pan gasket is shot and
when i had the tranny rebuilt last summer the guy told me my
rear seal was leaking. now call me dumb but he could have fixed
that for me while it was off but he said I don't mess with engines.
Hell he could have called me I'd do it in about 20 mins on his lift.
Anyway part is about 20 bucks for the seal and 20 for the pan
gasket and figure all day on a weekend.
I am going to rent a hoist so I can lift the engine to get the pan
dropped down enough.
Locally there is a shop near me that will do it for 300 bucks but
honestly i don't want to pay that i am cheap. So I'll lay on my
back and do it.
If your not able to do this. try some maxlife oil as it has seal
conditioner in it and may slow down the leak. you can also add
some oil stop leak to it. I did this last oil change and it did slow
it down a good amount. But with warmer weather the leak will
start to get worse.
Also ask around at local parts stores to recommend someone
who'll do work on the side and is good you can probably get it
done for about half of what you'd pay a service facility because
the guy is making more at half than he would if he was at work.
Tim
when i had the tranny rebuilt last summer the guy told me my
rear seal was leaking. now call me dumb but he could have fixed
that for me while it was off but he said I don't mess with engines.
Hell he could have called me I'd do it in about 20 mins on his lift.
Anyway part is about 20 bucks for the seal and 20 for the pan
gasket and figure all day on a weekend.
I am going to rent a hoist so I can lift the engine to get the pan
dropped down enough.
Locally there is a shop near me that will do it for 300 bucks but
honestly i don't want to pay that i am cheap. So I'll lay on my
back and do it.
If your not able to do this. try some maxlife oil as it has seal
conditioner in it and may slow down the leak. you can also add
some oil stop leak to it. I did this last oil change and it did slow
it down a good amount. But with warmer weather the leak will
start to get worse.
Also ask around at local parts stores to recommend someone
who'll do work on the side and is good you can probably get it
done for about half of what you'd pay a service facility because
the guy is making more at half than he would if he was at work.
Tim
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 101
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From: North Carolina
i've got a 351 with 104K on it and just noticed a leak in the same area...my oil pan is tight so i think it's the rear main. does anyone know if the rear main seal is a two-piece or a one piece design in this application? i know Ford put both in...
Freshman User
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
From: Cincinnati USA
they used the 2pc up till 1983 then it is a one pc. If you have the
2 pc you have to drop the pan to get it out and you'll have to
loosen the bearing caps. Also you can goto any parts store and
buy a tool called a sneaky pete to get the old seal out.
2 pc you have to drop the pan to get it out and you'll have to
loosen the bearing caps. Also you can goto any parts store and
buy a tool called a sneaky pete to get the old seal out.
New User
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Make sure you seal the bolts that hold the flywheel on. My is leaking form that since I changed the rear seal! $%)(#!@
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Elder User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 813
Likes: 0
From: NJ
if you take off the inspection cover in the front of the bell housing you can tell better if it is the rear main or not. if it is basically dry in there it is probably the oil pan gasket. it does not mean anything if the pan is tight because to tight is worse than to loose. if you overtighten the pan you can squeeze out the gasket and it will almost always leak. there is a new and improved gasket for the oilpan that prevents overtightening the pan. they have installed metal bushings on the bolt holes and this prevents squeezing out the gasket.
my guess is that it is an oilpan gasket which is no pleasure to do either but it is the lesser of the two evils.
a rear main seal replacement requires removal of the trans and will cost about 600.00 dollars here in NJ an oilpan gasket will be about 400.00 dollars.both are an awful lot of money to replace a 25.00 part.
my guess is that it is an oilpan gasket which is no pleasure to do either but it is the lesser of the two evils.
a rear main seal replacement requires removal of the trans and will cost about 600.00 dollars here in NJ an oilpan gasket will be about 400.00 dollars.both are an awful lot of money to replace a 25.00 part.
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